We’re challenging Amazon’s unfair denial of your wage increase
Dear Unifor members at YVR2,
This fall, Amazon refused to give you the raise that you earned. The raise that they gave every other facility in the region.
Amazon claimed that this an obligation under the “freeze” provision of the B.C. employment law.
This is a lie. Denying you a wage increase is an anti-union tactic. Amazon wants to punish workers who have been actively engaged in bargaining a fair collective agreement. Amazon wants you to blame the union.
The facts are this: there is nothing in the law prohibiting wage increases during your first year of unionization.
As we’ve mentioned, Unifor has filed a challenge with the B.C. Labour Relations Board (BCLRB). Unfortunately, this process is taking longer than we had hoped, but the union is working hard to get a ruling as soon as possible.
Part of our legal challenge includes backdating the wage increase so that you are not one penny worse off than workers at the other facilities in Metro Vancouver.
It is important to consider Amazon’s cruel approach to punishing workers at YVR2 for exercising their legal right to be part of a union and negotiate a fair collective agreement.
Bargaining update
We’re cautiously optimistic that the BCLRB will rule in your favour (this body has ruled repeatedly against Amazon for the last 18 months). Regardless, our contract negotiations are well-underway and you have already identified wages as a priority.
Your bargaining committee and Amazon representatives have spent a total of five days of in bargaining. We are making progress on a few issues, but we are still far apart on issues around speed up and discipline. We have a further nine days scheduled for bargaining in the new year.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
In solidarity,
Mario Santos
Unifor National Representative
P.S. - As always, continue to contact us confidentially with your reports about managers mistreating you or your co-workers. These reports are an important part of helping to eliminate harassment and favouritism in the workplace.